Selected ultratrace elements in total parenteral nutrition solutions

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 50; no. 5; pp. 1079 - 1083
• Main Authors: Berner, Y N, Shuler, T R, Nielsen, F H, Flombaum, C, Farkouh, S A, Shike, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Elsevier Inc 01.11.1989; American Society for Clinical Nutrition
• Subjects: ABSORPTION; adverse effects; ALIMENTACION PARENTERAL; ALIMENTATION ENTERALE; ALUMINIO; ALUMINIUM; aluminum; Aluminum - analysis; analysis; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; ANIMALS; Biological and medical sciences; BORE; BORO; BORON; Boron - analysis; CADMIO; CADMIUM; Cadmium - analysis; CONTAMINATION; Drug Contamination; Drug Industry; Drug Industry - standards; ELEMENTS; Emergency and intensive care: metabolism and nutrition disorders. Enteral and parenteral nutrition; food contamination; HIGIENE DE LOS ALIMENTOS; Humans; HYGIENE DES ALIMENTS; Intensive care medicine; INTESTINAL ABSORPTION; MAMMALS; MAN; Medical sciences; METALS; methods; MOLIBDENO; MOLYBDENE; MOLYBDENUM; Molybdenum - analysis; NICKEL; Nickel - analysis; NIQUEL; NUTRITION; parenteral feeding; Parenteral Nutrition, Total; Parenteral Nutrition, Total - standards; PATIENTS; PRIMATES; RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT; SEMIMETALS; SPECTROPHOTOMETRY; Spectrophotometry - methods; TOXICITY; TRACE AMOUNTS; Trace Elements; Trace Elements - adverse effects; Trace Elements - analysis; TRANSITION ELEMENTS; UPTAKE; VANADIO; VANADIUM; Vanadium - analysis; VERTEBRATES 560300 > Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology; Human; Oligoelement; Resuscitation; Solution; Parenteral administration; Feeding
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/50.5.1079

Ultratrace elements are potentially essential (eg. boron, molybdenum, nickel, and vanadium) or toxic (eg, aluminum and cadmium) in humans. Long-term total parenteral nutrition (TPN) patients can inadvertently receive significant amounts of ultratrace elements present as contaminants in TPN solutions. We determined the intake of selected ultratrace elements from a standard TPN solution and compared it with the amount reported to be absorbed from food in normal subjects. Contamination of TPN solutions with ultratrace elements was widespread and variable. The daily intakes of Mo, Ni, V. and Cd from this contamination were comparable to the amounts reported to be absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract in normal subjects. Al intake was high; B intake was low, approximately 10% of the amount absorbed by normal subjects. Thus, TPN solutions are contaminated with significant amounts of ultratrace elements. The biological significance of the intravenous infusion of these ultratrace elements is unclear and requires further investigation, particularly in home TPN patients.